Snubbed truck bolster



May. 23, 1950 J. A. SHAFER SNUBBED TRUCK BOLSTER 5 Sheets-Sheet} Filed May 15, 1946 v INVENTOR 44 .J21M55 ASHAFER.

May 23, 1950 J. A. SHAFER SNUBBED'TRUCK BOLSTER 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 v INVENTOR JZMES ASH/11 5A ATTORNEQ Filed May 15', 1946 y 3, 1950 J. A. SHAFER 2,508,869

, SNUBBED TRUCK BOLSTER Filed May 15, 1946 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Jams A. S'H/JFER ATTORNEY R E F A H s A i SNUBBED TRUCK BOLSTER 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed May 15, 1946 INVENTOR LEI/4E5 SHAFER ATTORNW y 1950 J. A. SHAF-ER 2,508,869

' SNUBBED TRUCK BOLSTER Filed May 15, 1946 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 H 1]. WM]. .WH

m 4 Jgn'i INVENTOR .JZMES A, SHAFER BY 1 ATTORNE 2 Patented May 23, 1950 SNUBBED TRUCK BOLSTER James A. Shafcr, East Cleveland, Ohio, assignor to National Malleable and Steel Castings Company, Cleveland, Ohio, a corporation of 01110 Application May 15, 1946, Serial No. 669,962

10 Claims. (01. 105-497) The invention relates to trucks for railway cars, and more particularlyto side frame and bolster construction.

It is an object of my invention to provide a side frame and bolster construction which will accommodate, within the space limitations and strength requirements of standard car construction, an increased number of long-travel coil springs, i. e. springs of greater free height than hitherto has been accepted as standard.

A further object is to provide a construction of the class described in which friction damping mechanism of the improved type disclosed in my copending application, Serial No. 642,793, filed January 23, 1946, or other friction damping mechanism, can be utilized in conjunction with springs of increased free height, and which also will accommodate as many as three sets of such springs within the width of the standard side frame bolster opening, or window, and as many as five sets of springs in all.

During the past few years the trend in freight car truck design has been to produce a truck that would ride safely at speeds up to 100 miles an hour and which would produce as smooth a ride as possible at that speed. This trend has been focused on the development of long-travel springs, and more particularly in the direction of combining such springs with reliable friction means to control the recoil of the springs. Y

The total travel of freight car truck coil springs of specifications heretofore accepted as standard is 1 inch. This represents the difference between the free height and solid height of the springs. Increased spring travel has been obtained by increasing the free height and decreasing the wire diameter to keep the working stress within safe limits while maintaining the solid height of the springs unchanged. Such a spring of standard solid height and having a travel free to solid of 3% inches has been produced by the use of special oval section wire. Because of the extremely long travel of this spring and of the necessity for limiting the outside diameter to 5 inches, its capacity is considerably below that ofconventional springs. In view of this de creased capacity, a nest of five sets of springs per side frame is required to provide suflicient load carrying capacity for the conventional 50 ton capacity freight car as opposed to the usual four unit standard spring nest. A considerable problem is presented in accommodating five spring units of increased height within the space limitations-and strength requirements of standard car construction; This is particularly true where J friction damping mechanism is to be utilized in conjunction with such I springs of increased height. It has been a particular object of my invention to provide a side frame and bolster construction which will answer this problem while conforming to the many limitations imposed by existing standards of construction. f

Other objects and advantages of my invention will appear as the description proceeds.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a plan view 01 a car truck comprising a bolster and side frames embodying the invention, and Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of the same. a i

Fig. 3 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken as indicated at 33 inFig. 1, with the bolster, the bolster trunnion and one of the friction shoes shown in elevation.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken as indicated at 4-4 in Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail sectional view. taken as indicated at 55 in Fig. 1,'except that one of the bolster trumiions is shown in ele-. vation.

Fig. 6 is a detail view taken as indicated at 6-45 in Fig. 3 showing the friction shoes in plan.

Figs. 7 and 8 are detail perspective views of one of the friction shoes and sleeve segments respectively.

Referring to the drawings, the side frame In is formed with a tension member H, a compression member l2, and connecting columns l3 defining a bolster opening I4. The central portion l5 of the tension member comprises a bottom wall I6, side walls I! (Fig. 4 and a top Wall or shelf l8 forming a spring seat on the side frame adjacent the top of thetension member at the lower side of the bolster opening.

Openings l9 (Fig. 5) are formed in the top of the tension member at each side of the spring seat [8 to receive spring units 20, 2|, seating in the lower part of the tension member.

Flanges 22 extend downwardly from the spring seat I 8 adjacent the openings IS! in the top of the tension member. In my preferred construction these are annular or tubular flanges extending downwardly from the periphery of the spring openings and they merge with the sidewalls ll of the tension member ll. 7 1

Flanges 23 extend upwardly from the periphery of the aforesaid openings l9, leaving a space a between them opposite the spring seat l8 for adjacent arrangement of upper and lower spring units 20, 2| overlapping at the spring seat, and to provide for insertion of the lower springs in 3 a manner to be described. Thus we have flanges extending upwardly and downwardly from the periphery of the spring openings in the tension member, the upwardly extending flanges leaving a space at opposite the spring seat (Fig. 6) and the downwardly extending flanges extending underneath the spring seat (Fig. The upwardly extending flanges 23 are in effect continuations of the downwardly extending flanges 22 except where they are spaced apart to provide the opening a to which reference has been made (see Figs. 3 and 5). Flanges 23 preferably are formed as integral extensions of the walls of the columns l3 at the sides of the bolster openings as clearly shown in Fig. 6, and at their upper ends are reinforced as at 24 by an outwardly projecting rib or flange and further reinforced by webs 25 (Fig. 3).

Friction sleeves comprising sleeve segments 26 are supported in the openings [9. One of these sleeve segments is shown in Fig. 8. It is formed with an outwardly extending flange 2! at its upper end which is arranged to extend over the top of the upwardly extending flange 23 to prevent the sleeve segment from moving vertically downward. At its lower end each sleeve segment is provided with an outwardly extending flange 28 which, in the preferred construction illustrated, is of arcuate form so as to fit within one of the openings 29 in the side walls ll of the tension member of the side frame. Thus the arcuate flange 28 extends below the downwardly extending flange 22 where the latter merges with the side wall ll of the frame (Figs. 2 and 3). The construction I have described provides interlocking engagement between the segments of the friction sleeve and the flanges of the side frame to prevent upward and downward movement of the segments.

The spring seat 18 has lateral extensions 30 reinforced by webs 3| (Fig. 4) to support additional spring units 28, 2t providing three spring units seating adjacent the top of the tension member in a line transversely of the side frame. The spring units are positioned by suitable centering means such as provided by the upwardly extendinglugslii. Centering means for the lower spring units are provided-by shoulders 33 and by a lug or flange 34 extending upwardly from the lower part of the tension member. The end 35 of truck bolster 36 is received in opening it of the side frame it Downwardly extending flanges 31 of the end of the bolster provide recesses for the three upper spring units as clearly shown in Fig. 4. On the under surface of bolster end '35 are downwardly extending trnnnions 38, each having a pair of plane wedging surfaces 39, 40. The wedge shaped portions of the trunnions extend downwardly into wedgi-ng engagement with friction shoes M which rest on top of the lower spring units 2| and are partially encased by sleeve segments 26. Laterally extending lugs 42 on the friction shoes prevent rotation of the shoes by engagement with ends 3 (Fig. 6) of sleeve segments 26. Each of the shoes 4| has a curved surface M for engagement with the inner surface of the adjacent sleeve segment 26. It" will be observed that the radius of curvature of the cylindricalfriction shoe surfaces is slightly smaller than the radius of curvature of the inner cylindrical surfaces of the sleeve segments 26.- This is for the purpose of having the'initial wear occur at the central portion of the sleeve segments and shoe along the line of action of'the'thrust from the wedge surfaces,

thus eliminating any bending stresses in the shoes or sleeve segments, and also causing the shoes to wear until their surfaces substantially conform to the cylindrical surfaces of the sleeve segments. Also, the outer surfaces of segments 26 have a radius of curvature which is slightly smaller than the inner surfaces of flanges 22, 23. Each of the bolster trunnions 38 is recessed or flattened at 45 to provide laterally extending downwardly projecting lugs 46 for engagement with the lugs 42 of the friction shoes (Fig. 3) to limit movement of the bolster transversely of the side frame. This arrangement maintains adequate thrust surfaces between the truck bolster and the friction shoes associated with the side frame without interfering in any way with the wedging contact between the bolster and friction shoes.

' Upon downward movement of the bolster relative to the side frame, friction shoes 41 are forced outwardly against friction sleeve segments 28 by wedge surfaces 39, an on bolster trunnions 38. The absorption of the energy of the movement quickly brings to a stop any oscillations of the springs, thus preventing subsequent shocks from building up the amplitude of spring oscillations to a point where damage might be done to the car lading. The springs are prevented from being damaged in the event of an unusually heavy blow by the engagement of the under surface 41 of the bolster with the top surface of sleeve segments 26.

An important feature of my side frame construction is the provision of the opening a be tween the ends of the upwardly extending flanges 23. This arrangement not only permits the springs to be arranged closer together, as will be apparent from consideration of Fig. 5, but also makes it possible to insert springs of increased free height into the side frame. With reference to the flrst of these advantages, it is to be ob served that the width W of the Window openin in the side frame is restricted by the necessary standard location of the brake hanger brackets, the centers of which must be spaced 10 inches on either side of the vertical 'centerline of the frame. However it will be observed that my construction, in which the spring seat adjacent the top of the tension member is provided with flanges extending upwardly and downwardly from the periphery of the spring openings, and in which the upwardly extending flanges are spaced as aforesaid, permits three springs to be arranged on the longitudinal centerlineof the frame within the width W of the window opening for the bolster; This arrangement further provides guid ing means for the spring units which are adjacent the columns 93 of the frame, this guiding means comprising flanges 22' which extend entirely around the spring units and underneath the spring seat for the center spring unit to reinforce this seat. With reference to the second ad'- vantage mentioned above; it will be observed that the free height of the spring units 20, 2-? is greater than the distance between the under side of the compression member I2 and the top of the up wardly extending flanges 23. However the opening a between the ends of these flanges makes it possible to insert the lower spring units 20, it by tilting them into place.

The importance of the features which I have described from the standpoint of making it pod sible to utilize an increased number of long-travel coil springs in conjunction a side frame and bolster construction whiclrconforms to the space limitations and strength requirements-of standardcar construction, will be readily appreciated by car truck designers. In this connection it may be noted here that the over-all height Aof the side frame is definitely fixed and limited by rail clearance and by car body clearance. The

. thickness B of the compression member l2 must be suflicient to meet strength requirements, and the distance C from the top of the bolster to the under side of the compression member is determined by the amount the bolster must be lifted in order to assemble and disassemble the truck. Consequently the total height available for reception of the bolster, springs and friction mechanism is quite definitely restricted. That my construction meets these space limitations and strength requirements, while permitting the use of 'a greater number of long-travel spring units in combination with friction damping mechanism, will be apparent from the description which has preceded. An additional characteristic of the construction described is the provision, in a side frame comprising a box shaped tension member, of three springs seating adjacent the top of the-tension member in a line transversely of the frame, with openings in the top of the tension member at each side of this line of springs and opposite the center one of the three springs, and springs extending through these openings and seating in the lowerpart of the tension member to provide five springs'three of Which are arranged in vertically overlapping relation to the other two. b

An additional advantage of the flange construction 22, 23 is that besides guiding the lower spring units and reinforcing the springseat [8, it supports the friction mechanism.

In assembling my truck, the sleeve segments 26 are first put in place, their upper flanges 2i resting on the upper edges of the walls or flanges 23 and their lower flanges 28 hooking under the flanges 22 which at that point are defined by the round openings 29 through the side frame. The two lower spring units 29, 2| are then inserted through the openings 19 between the sleeve segments 26. During insertion of'these spring units they are tipped so that their upper ends incline toward the center of the window opening l4. As they'are started down through the openings l9, they are straightened up to the vertical and come to rest in the positions shown in Fig. 5. The friction shoes ii are then dropped into place on top of the springs. Next the bolster 36 with the upper three spring units 26, 2| temporarily suspended therefrom, is inserted into the window opening l of the side frame (Fig. 4) and lowered until the bolster trunnions 38 come to rest on the friction shoes 4| as shown in Fig. 3. In the assembly each part is accurately positioned and locked in place by the part previously assembled, and after a unit has been inserted no further positioning of that unit is needed to enable the next unit to be properly positioned.

The cooperation between the trunnions 38 of the bolster and the other parts of the friction mechanism in resisting thrust endwise of the bolster, i. e. laterally of the track, and in producing a squaring action on the side frames after rounding a section of curved track, is similar to that described in my copending application Serial No. 642,793 aforesaid. When one of the side frames of the car truck tends to run ahead of the other, such as the case would be in rounding a curve, one trunnion tends to slide up the wedge surfaces of one of the friction shoes, while the other trunnion tends to slide up the'wedge sillfaces of the shoe diagonally oppositethe afore said shoe, causing a vertical displacement of the bolster and the car. As the trunnions rise on the one set of diagonally opposed shoes, the other diagonally opposed set is left free. Thus, when the force tending to keep the truck out of square is diminished, the Weight of the car and bolster acting on the diagonally opposed wedging surfaces produces a couple which acts to bring the truck back into its proper alignment. The sliding of the trunnion up the wedge surfaces of the friction shoes is limited by the thrust engagement between the lugs 42 of the shoes and lugs 46 of the trunnions. This limits the amount the truck can get out of square. The vertical interlock between the lugs of the trunnions and friction shoes remains substantially the same regardless of the angle of the wedge surfaces of the bolster and shoes.

The terms and expressions which I have employed are used in a descriptive and not a limiting sense, and I have no intention of excluding such equivalents of the invention described, or of portions thereof, as fall within the purview of the claims.

I claim:

1. A side frame for car trucks, said frame comprising a box-shaped tension member, three springs seating adjacent the top of the tension member in a line transversely of said frame, openings in the top of the tension member at each side of said line and opposite the center one of the three springs, springs extending through said openings and seating in the lower part of the tension member to provide five springs three of which are arranged in vertically overlapping relation to the other two, flanges extending upwardly and downwardly from the tension member around said openings in the tension member, and friction sleeves supported by said flanges and having outwardly extending portions engaging the upper and lower ends of said flanges.-

2. In a car truck comprising a bolster and side frames, a side frame having tension and compression members and columns therebetween defining a bolster opening, a spring seaton the side frame adjacent the top of the tension mem her at the lower side of the bolster opening, an opening in thetop of the tensionmember at one side of said spring seat to receive a spring seating in the lower part of the tension member, and flanges extending upwardly from the periphery of said opening leaving a space between them opposite said spring seat for adjacent arrangement of springs overlapping vertically at said spring seat. r

-3. In a car truck comprising a bolster and side frames, a side frame having tension and compression members and columns therebetween defining a bolster opening, a spring seat on the side frame adjacent the top of the tension member at the lower side of the bolster opening, an opening in the top of the tension member at one Side of said spring seat to receive a spring seating in the lower part of the tension member, and flanges extending upwardly and downwardly from the periphery of said opening, the upwardly extending flanges leaving a space opposite said spring seat and the downwardly extensing flange extending underneath said spring sea 4. In a car truck comprising a, bolster and side frames, 9. side frame having tension and compression members and columns therebetween the upper and lower ends of said flan es, aspiring arran ed in line with the sleeve and supporter in the lower next of the tension member and extendin through saicl openin Itictionslloes arran s. for ir otionel n a ement with the sle ve above said openin and for movem nt against the resistance of. said spring each of said sho s nsvin a we ge: suri ee, and the olster havin a Welles surface on its nnde s sle ie enga ement with the wed e surface of. eoeh shoe.

5.- 131 a car truck oomnrisine e bolst r and side. frames, at side. frame having t nsion and oornnression m mbers and o lumns th rebetween definin a bolster open n a sprin seat on the side flame seliaeent the top.- of the tension me n- J her at the lower side of the bolster onening, on opening in the top of the tension member at one s e of said sp in seat to rece ve e spri eems in. the owe parrot thetension member; flang s ex e di g; upwa dly and .d wnwmdly i em he phe yo sa d openin th upwardly extensl zng flan es l aving e space oprpsitesaid spl ne eaend th northward-lo" extendin flan e extending underneath said spr n one trie tion sl e e s ment supp ted by said upwardly and downwardly extendin flan es In :1. car truck. com-pri ing. e bolster and side fra s. at side flame havin t nsion and coms s on mem ers and eolumns therebetween definin a bolster pening, a series seat on the side.- frame adjacent. the top of the tension member at the low r sid of the'bols er: openin an p in in t e top the tensionvmember at one side of said. pring seat to receive a-sprin eat g in t lower part of the; t nsi n member, fla ges extend-ms up ardly and slownwaml-y from". he periphery of said sn ezing. the upwardly extendin flan es leasing a spa e onpesit said spring seatend th downwardly ex endin flan e: extendin underneath said. sprin sent.v aml mo i n sleeve se ments supported by said nwsrdlr nd downwardly-extendin flan es, aris se ents ha g interlockin en a ement with aid flan es to pr ent. upward anddown ward movement of the se ments,

'7. A. ide Home for ear t ucks, e mpris-ms tension and compression members solum-ns her b tween defining-1 e; bolsterop nin a: sprin se termed adj-scent the top o the tension member at. the. lower.- sisle or the bolster openin 8 an onenmz lathe top of the tension member at one side of said spring sees. flanges extending upwardly and downwardly from the periphery of said. opening, and friction sleeve se ments sum ported by said upwardly and downwardly extend lng flan es.

8. A side frame for car trucks, comprlsmx tension and compression members and solumns therebetween defining a bolster cmenirre. a swin seat formed adjacent the top of the tension member at the lower side of the holster openin an openin in the top .of the tension member at one side of said sprin seat, flanges extendin upwardly and downwardly from the periphery of said opening, and friction sleeve se ments sup ported by upwardly and downwardly extensb ing flan es, se ments having mterloelsms engagement with said flan es to prevent upwa d and vclcmrnwsrrd; movement of these ments 9. A side frame tor ear trucks, eomprislne tension and eompression members and solumns therebemeendefining a bolster opening, a spring seat: formed adiacent the top .of the tension at the lower side of the bolster opening, openings in the top of the tension member at side of said spring seat and between it and said .eolumns to receive springs seating in the lower pastor the tension member, flanges entend ing upwardly and downwardly from theperiphery of said meaningsr and friction sleeve segments v. of: ssida openings: leaving: a; space between them nnnfl i-ie said spring seat. for adlasent arrange ment oi springs overlapping vertically at said ssring seat.

JAMES ASHAFEB,

REFERENGES QITEB The following: references are of record In the file of this patent:

U ITED STATES ATENTS Number Name Date 1,812,723 Sprout June 30; 1 93-1 2,15%;649 Shafer. Apr. 5. 1, 1939 2 1875182. Sharer Jan. 16, 1944) 2,385,435 Shafer Sept..25, 1945 Certificate of Correction Patent No. 2,508,869 r May 23, 1950 JAMES A. SHAFER It is hereby'certified that error appears in the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows:

In the grant, line 6, title of invention, for SNUBBED TRUCK BOL- STERS read SNUBBED-"OAR TRUCKS in the heading to the drawings, line 2, Sheets 1 to 5 inclusive, and in the heading to the printed specification, line 2,Kfor SNUBBED TRUCK BOLSTER read SNUBBED UAR TRUC and that the said Letters Patent should be read as corrected above, so that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Oifice.

Signed and sealed this 19th day of December, A. D. 1950.

THOMAS F. MURPHY,

Assistant Commissioner of Patents. 

